Thursday 17 November 2011

City sights



So we were in Glasgow yesterday (man and I). It's not somewhere we get to very often but, considering it's November, it was a lovely day so mostly we just did strolling around and looking at things in the city centre. A lot has been done in recent times to clean up Glasgow's centre and you would have to say that a lot of it is looking very smart and spruced. It always reminds me of Leeds in some ways... and yesterday, with all the hills, it even made me think of San Francisco a little (that might sound odd but I think if you added in some streetcars and a few hundred thousand tourists you might see the resemblance too).

Anyway I'm too weary to write much today but here is a mini tour (some photos by me, some by him). First (above and below) the views from our lunch on West George Street:


And then some views from further up West George Street (I know these are similar - I can't decide which I like most):



One for a regular visitor:


And then just another view:


Here are a couple in Blythswood Square:



Here's one in the CCA (Centre for Contemporary Arts) on Sauchiehall Street:


This one is outside the famous School of Art on Renfrew Street:


Then down on Buchanan Street the front of Princes Square is pretty fancy:


Next door looks like this:


More of Princes Square:


A bit of Xmas cheer on Argyle Street:


And then several cocktails and a good meal later here we are on our way back to the train station... first on George Street:


And then in George Square (full of protestors not so long back - just a Xmas tree there now... but that photo was a bit fuzzy...):


And now we're home again.

x

21 comments:

Mark said...

I blame the cocktails for the fuzzy tree photo.

Rachel Fox said...

Indeed.
x

Titus said...

It's familiar, but I love it. All that extra foliage has just arrived on the front of Princes Square.

I'm going to channel 'Steets of San Francisco' next time I'm up and see if I get the connection too.

Rachel Fox said...

That would explain why we've never noticed it before!

As for San Fran... the more I think about it the more they have in common...

x

Niamh B said...

Interesting - far more fancy looking than the glasgow I'd have imagined

Rachel Fox said...

Yes, though I suppose we did pick out pretty and interesting and lovely sights for this selection. I'm sure (like any city) that you could easily find a selection of not so fancy sights if you wanted. For example we passed a bar called Jumping Jaks on Sauchiehall Street that had a photo on its sign of a group of young women with a huge (6ft!) inflatable penis on it. One of them was licking said giant penis. That wasn't so fancy.

x

hope said...

It's not familiar...which made it even more interesting! Thanks for letting me tag along.

Rachel Fox said...

Did you like your special photo, Hope?
x

Marion McCready said...

Looks like you had a lovely day. I really love going up to Glasgow, there's always such a special buzz about the place.

Rachel Fox said...

It was quieter than I expected (I live such a small town life now that I always expect cities to blow my mind a bit these days) but still so good to see some different places/buildings etc. It's always enjoyable to have an away day just the two of us as well - no Mum/Dad duties! We can be irresponsible and everything.
x

The Weaver of Grass said...

I have heard such mixed comments about Glasgow Rachel - my brother lived in Bearsden for some years and they never really felt at home there.

Have you completely recovered from your trip and are you all 'back to normal'?

Rachel Fox said...

I don't know that area Weaver. This is probably about the fourth time I've spent any time in Glasgow though Mark has family connections with the area.

As for the trip... I suppose you mean the big trip of earlier this year. It feels like ages ago... one of my projects for the winter is to sort out photo albums and scrapbooks (we brought back a lot of maps, leaflets, postcards, other stuff). I'm afraid to start it though as it will take so long to do it all. As for 'normal'... it seems ever further from my grasp!
x

Judy Taylor said...

It only dawned on me slowly, over years of going there, that you miss so much in Glasgow if you don't look up. There's some fantastic architecture, mostly Victorian, but the best bits start at the first floor, above the shop frontages. Your photos catch that really well I think.

The Bug said...

Love the pictures - I think I'd like to visit there myself sometime. But then there are LOTS of places I'd love to visit. I need to start making a list!

P.S. I don't know why we didn't get to see a picture of the giant penis. Pouting now.

Rachel Fox said...

Yes, Judy and we had a bit of time this trip for a good look up! And it wasn't raining...

Bug, I think the penis photo is on the JJ website (I saw it when I went there to check their spelling...). Feel free to go and visit (though I draw the line at a link!!).
x

hope said...

Yes I did...I just forgot to mention it!

Rachel Fenton said...

Stunning buildings. But I love the old dear with her shopping trolly, looking at that deer like "is this the way in?"

Rachel Fox said...

We'll all be old dears eventually... if we get there.
x

Rachel Fenton said...

Yes, and I'm sure there'll be worse things than a steel deer's bum to be looking up as we cart our shopping round!

Dominic Rivron said...

You remind me... I must go to Glasgow sometime. Driven over the top on that motorway, changed at the station once on my way to the Highlands (a great trainride, that - Glasgow to Fort William) and once went to see Celtic v Rangers there with a mate. However, I've never been there just to wander round. Must put that right.

Rachel Fox said...

Hope you get a nice clear day like we did!
x